Parting Days
by silversrider
Summary: Sequel to Classified Retirement. After a mission, their cover is blown. What will become of them after their parting? Will they ever get back together? And how, why is their cover really blown, or is it all just a big set-up? Pairing: Perco/Ricky. Rated T for character death.
1. Chapter 1: Noise

_Hello!  
_

_This is the sequel to my first story: 'Classified Retirement'.  
_

_I would suggest that you read that first, if you don't, this story won't make very much sense to you XD  
_

_I have not yet decided about if I put in any character death._

_Enjoy!_**  
**

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**Chapter 1: Noise**

Skipper knew that the scars of his past would never vanish from his body or his mind. And on one day, his body would finally give in and make him an old penguin. His body would tell him that he would grow to the limits of his powers. It would decide that he needed a rest.

His friends were looking at him in an expecting way. He raised his violin. The first touch of the fiddlestick upon the strings. It was like the melody carried all the joy of the world. They knew that one day life would part them. That was insurmountable.

They only had to make sure the days that they were together the best they would ever know. When they were together they would be unbeatable, until the moment they had to leave this world behind.

"Hold her a little bit higher. Yes, like that!" Skipper stood next to his little friend."Now let your fiddlestick run over the strings." An ear-piercing sound filled the room. "Good job Private! Let's try a C now. And keep her higher!" Skipper waddled away from his soldier.

The room was filled with the sound of crying strings. In fact, the room had been full of this so-called music for at least three hours. It was getting on his nerves. How could he possibly prevent his inventions from exploding if he couldn't think? Oh, wait now he was thinking too about his inventions as failures. All because of this noise. "You had to teach the boy to 'play' the violin?" The sarcasm dripped from his words. Skipper nodded. "Yes, it was his wish and it wouldn't hurt the boy if he got some cultural education." Kowalski could not believe it. "You call this education? You can't even call this noise, this is torture for the ones who have to listen to it!"

Skipper smiled again at his soldier. He wasn't that grumpy anymore. He had learnt that his friends were always behind him. Like a safety net. "I know that he will turn out to be a great player. You just have to listen carefully to hear his talent." Skipper grinned when he saw the astounded expression on Kowalski's face.

"Listen? LISTEN?! You want us deaf, don't you?" He felt his temper rise. Skipper could be so stubborn. "I'll be In my lab. Trying to invent something that keeps us from getting hearing loss." He turned away and waddled into his lab. Even through the thick door was the noise audible.

Skipper turned towards his weapons expert. "What do you think Rico, is the music bothering you?" Rico was cleaning his weapon arsenal. He was so occupied with it, that even Skipper couldn't get to him. Skipper grinned.

After a view hours, Kowalski cracked. How could he possibly survive this? Skipper had joined Private with his own violin. He had thought that it couldn't get any worse. Well, it could. He had grown an immense headache. He would do almost anything to make this stop. He stormed out of his lab, hoping that his idea would work.

"Skipper, what about a snow cone recovery mission?" Skipper smiled at his soldier. "Sure Kowalski, you can go solo." Kowalski looked baffled. "Solo? But what about…" Skipper rolled his eyes and sighed."Alright, ask Rico if he want to go with you."

It wasn't exactly what he had hoped for, but he would do almost everything to get out of that noise. He waddled towards Rico, lying in his bunk. "Rico, would you like to join me on a snow cone recovery mission?" The word snow cone was like a trigger to Rico. "SNOW CONES!" They made their way towards the exit. "Be careful guys!" Skipper yelled over the sound of the two violins.

He felt so happy, playing next to his leader. Still, he hadn't forgotten about the times he almost lost him. He still had nightmares about it. He was sure Skipper knew about them.

Skipper really enjoyed playing his violin with Private. "Let's do 'Don't Stop Believing' from Journey now!" The music filled the HQ once more. But this time was different. This time, the violins made their tones in a perfect harmony. They felt the music flowing through their body's.

It bonded them, they played like one.

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_So that's the first chapter._

_I hope you like it!_


	2. Chapter 2: Your Song

_This story had been on hiatus for a while, so that I could finish Gone Forever._

_But it's back and I hope that you are going to like it! :)_

_I still haven't decided on the character death..._

_Please enjoy chapter 2! :D**  
**_

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**Chapter 2: Your Song**

Skipper really enjoyed playing his violin with Private. "Let's do 'Don't Stop Believing' from Journey now!" The music filled the HQ once more. But this time was different. This time, the violins made their tones in a perfect harmony. They felt the music flowing through their body's.

It bonded them, they played like one.

That night, Skipper gathered them around the table to talk about a new mission. Kowalski was glad that the non-stop violin concert had finally stopped, since the snow cone recovery mission had only given him one hour which wasn't filled with noises, only with Rico's rants about different kabooms. He had wished for some silence, but nobody heard his silent plea.

Rico wasn't paying attention to Skipper's mission explanations. To him it sounded like every other move in, 'boom', move out, 'boom' sort of mission. He only cared about the boom or kaboom parts, since that was his specialty. He could hear from Skipper's voice that this was more a boom than a kaboom mission, and that would mean, no or view use of the explosives. "There's a slight chance that we get caught. RICO!" Apparently, Skipper had noticed the absent look in his eyes.

Skipper sighed. How was he supposed to get Rico to listen to him. Rico was probably thinking about TNT, or his hero, Alfred Nobel. Rico had a guilty look in his eyes and Skipper decided that he could go on with his briefing. "We -" Skipper slammed his flipper on the table. "RICO!"

Private sat at the table, amused by the two penguins. A smile appeared on his face. "Do you think this is funny Private?" He couldn't hold his laugh in any longer. Skipper raised his non-existing eyebrow at the penguins in front of him. Even Kowalski wasn't focused anymore, Skipper saw his flippers on an invention under the table. "Is my briefing really this boring?" Private rolled laughing under the table and Kowalski hid his invention behind his back. Rico had waddled away from the table towards his doll. Skipper sighed, obviously they had the impression that they didn't need a briefing. Maybe it was getting a bit old. Would that mean that he was getting a bit old too?

Her hair was so blond and shiny. Her smile was so loving and warm. Still, she looked a bit crazy, always smiling no matter what he did. She definitely was his dream girl. He brushed Miss Perky's hair, sang a little love song for her. She smiled lovingly back at him, her big blue eyes were fixed on him. His heart skipped a beat while looking at her small plastic lips. He threw his brush away. Although he had a hard time pronouncing the words, he sang a little song for her. Just to indicate how much he loved her.

_It's a little bit funny this feeling inside.  
I'm not one of those who can easily hide.  
I don't have much money but boy if I did.  
I'd buy a big house where we both could live._

_I know it's not much but it's the best I can do.  
My gift is my song and this one's for you._

_And you can tell everybody this is your song.  
It may be quite simple but now that it's done.  
I hope you don't mind that I put down in words,  
How wonderful life is while you're in the World._

_I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss.  
Well a few of the verses well they've got me quite cross.  
But the sun's been quite kind while I wrote this song.  
It's for people like you that keep it turned on._

_So excuse me forgetting but these things I do.  
You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue.  
Anyway the thing is what I really mean,  
Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen._

Kowalski wished that he was deaf. He didn't mind listening to some real good musicians or singers, for less than an hour, but this was just excruciating. He looked at Skipper. Most of the time he was the one getting annoyed by the lemur's loud music, but now he was looking at his singing comrade with a happy smile on his face.

He smiled at the sight of his three soldiers in the HQ. They all were so different, so unique. But still they were a team and almost every time working together like brothers. Skipper looked at the little Private, polishing his violin. He had been over the moon when he saw the violin for the first time. Skipper knew that the little penguin never expected that playing it would be this hard, but Skipper knew that he wasn't going to give it up. He looked at Rico and his doll. He remembered the time he married a doll, when he had the illusion that she really was a living girl. He grinned, even Kowalski had been afraid to make it clear to him that she wasn't a living creature.

Rico decided that he would make clear to everybody around him how much he loved Miss Perky. He sang louder, so that they would hear him. Although he could not properly pronounce the words, the song was still recognizable.

_And you can tell everybody this is your song.  
It may be quite simple but now that it's done.  
I hope you don't mind that I put down in words,  
How wonderful life is while you're in the World._

He looked proudly at his girlfriend, before pecking her on the cheek. She still smiled happily and her large blue eyes almost screamed 'Thank you!'. He hugged her and closed his eyes. They were meant for each other.

* * *

_So how did you like it?_

_The song is originally by Elton John._

_It's 'Your Song'._


	3. Chapter 3: Explosions Come Later

_So here's chapter 3!  
_

_As you may have noticed, I have decided to put in the character death...  
_

_Please enjoy this chapter__. :D**  
**_

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**Chapter 3: Explosions Come Later**

Rico looked proudly at his girlfriend, before pecking her on the cheek. She still smiled happily and her large blue eyes almost screamed 'Thank you!'. He hugged her and closed his eyes. They were meant for each other.

He knew it. He just knew it. And he blamed himself. It was his fault that his mission speeches were so long and boring . He couldn't blame his soldiers, he had to inform them, and he failed. Skipper looked at his friends, who were in the same cage as he was. "I'm sorry boys."

Private looked astonished at their leader. Why would Skipper apologize for what happened? It wasn't his fault. He looked at the evil puffin in front of their cage. He smiled diabolical and had a destruction button in his wing.

"With one push on this button, I can destroy your whole HQ. Your secrets, your cover, your home, nothing will ever be the same again." Hans laughed evilly, his Danish accent had been echoing through the chamber. Skipper looked angrily at his frenemy. "You wouldn't dare…" Hans laughed. "I wouldn't? Guess again!" His wing slowly moved towards the button, it took him minutes to get to the button. "How do you like this dramatic effect, Skipper?" His smile widened. His wing pushed the button. Skipper closed his eyes.

Nothing happened. "Damn it!" The evil puffin pushed the button several times, but it seemed broken. He threw the little device away and waddled towards a big control panel with a lot of different knobs and buttons. "Then we have to do this the old fashion way. " His wing was once again above a button, his evil smile was back on his face. Skipper closed his eyes tightly shut again. He didn't want to see the puffin finally destroying his life. He heard the puffin laugh and they could hear the explosion through the speakers.

The puffin threw a fish towards Skipper, who caught it instantly, before even opening his eyes. Hans opened the cage, but only far enough to let Skipper out. "Let's fish-fight!"

He should have known that the puffin wanted to fish-fight. It was their thing. "Are you prepared to lose? AGAIN?" He yelled at the puffin, but his frenemy only smiled at him. "Can't you see it, Skipper? I already won." Skipper threw himself into the battle a second later than Hans. The puffin was really good at fish-fighting, but Skipper was better. He had the puffin unarmed in minutes and he held his fish threatening above Hans's beak. But the puffin still smiled. "You may claim my life now Skipper, but never forget that I have ruined yours first!" His diabolic laugh made the penguin shiver.

Skipper threw his fish away and held the puffin to the floor with his flippers. "Who had said something about killing you?" Skipper's smile could be defined as almost as dangerously evil as the one the puffin had on his face moments ago. The puffin's eyes widened in shock. "You wouldn't, you couldn't." Skipper nodded. "I surely would and I surely can. You know it Hans, You've seen it before."

Private covered his eyes, he didn't want to see anymore of this fight. He still hated violence, fighting. "Skipper, is this really necessarily?" Kowalski asked the flat-headed penguin.

He had forgotten about the presence of his team, he had been totally caught in the moment. As if he was in Denmark again. "Rico, handcuffs ." He caught them without looking and although the wings of the puffin made it hard to lock it the right way, he was able to fetter Hans in seconds. Skipper pulled the puffin upon his feet and with one flipper upon Hans's shoulder, he waddled towards the cage and freed his friends.

"What are we going to do with him now, Skippah?" Private asked him. "We are turning him in. Just like we planned to do." The puffin didn't object. They moved out of the building and they waited outside for the penguins of the head quarters to arrive.

"Captain Skipper?" A penguin, only inches taller than Skipper, stood before them. His large sunglasses made it impossible to see his eyes. The penguin looked stern. Skipper waddled towards him. "Yes sir?" He saluted for the penguin and then took a few steps backwards. He really hated it when someone was looking down at him, and that was exactly what his superior was doing. "Can I have a word with you?" Skipper nodded and they waddled away from his team.

Kowalski wished that he was wrong. If their cover was blown, what would become of their team? He knew that they probably had to part, the head quarters would say that they had failed as a team. That Skipper had failed. The feeling of guilt took over him. Why hadn't they paid more attention to Skipper's operation briefing?

Rico looked at his two friends who were standing beside him. He couldn't understand why they were so worried. They weren't out of kabooms and they had captured the maniac puffin. He had to give it to them, the 'secret' lair hadn't self-exploded yet. He shrugged. Maybe the explosion would come later.

"You know that you've failed, captain Skipper?" Skipper nodded. "You know that it has caused to blow your cover?" He nodded again. "Then you also know that you have exposed secret info about the head quarters to the whole wide world?" He had enough of it. He was treated like a little baby who had to be punished for taking candy without permission. "Can we get over with it? If you want to fire me, fine, but do it now." He looked dominantly at the penguin in front of him. He had known the consequences for failing missions and blown covers for a long time. It wouldn't be the first time that they had to put them in court for something like that. He was glad that this time was different though, everybody had at least survived the mission.

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_Thank you for reading :)_


	4. Chapter 4: Countdown

_Here's chapter 4, I hope that you like it :)  
_

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**Chapter 4: Countdown**

"If you want to fire me, fine, but do it now." Skipper looked dominantly at the penguin in front of him. He had known the consequences for failing missions and blown covers for a long time. It wouldn't be the first time that they had to put them in court for something like that. 

The penguin in front of him showed for the first time an emotion, he smiled a little. "Fire you? Do you really think that we would fire one of our best captains? That we put them in court for only one failed mission?" Skipper raised his non-existing eyebrow. "What do you have in mind then? I failed, so what's my punishment?." He couldn't hide the bitterness in his words. "You won't be surprised to hear that I have to part your team. You are being transferred to Europe."

"Could you please be more specific about the location?" Those penguins from the head quarters never told something the normal way, no, they said it in riddles. Just like politicians. Always using fancy words, making the sentences too long for anybody normal to understand. "The Netherlands." It hit him immediately. He was sent to a country with cheese-eating, lump-bearing, maniacs. He had heard enough of that country to know what he could expect. It was his punishment. "You can say goodbye to your team now. You have thirty minutes."

**30 minutes**

How can you say goodbye to your best friends forever in thirty minutes? How can you kiss away your dreams in such little time? He turned around and looked at his friends, team mates, comrades. How were they supposed to move on without him? How was he supposed to move on without them? They had saved his life. They had always known that one day, everything would end. But they had never presumed that it could end so quickly. That they wouldn't have the time for a proper goodbye.

He waddled towards his friends, he tried to give them a small smile, but failed. "What's happening now Skippah?" The sweet little Private asked him. It was hard to look right into the small penguin's eyes. "I have to leave. I'm sorry guys." He looked down at the ground. He couldn't bear looking into their eyes. He couldn't take it to see their disbelief, their pain. That was why he had left them the last time without saying goodbye. That was why he had left a note.

How could this have happened? Kowalski knew that they were to blame. Skipper would have leaded them through this mission as flawless as he had always done, if they had listened. But they had been too overconfident, almost thinking that they were immortal, that no one could harm them. Only Skipper had it seen coming.

**20 minutes**

They watched each other in complete silence. What could they say to each other? Was there something they could do together? Skipper sat down, the tears filled his eyes. "I don't want to leave." Private sat down beside him and laid his flipper upon his shoulders. "Don't worry Skippah. I will never forget about the time we spend together…" Skipper hugged his little soldier. "I won't forget you either. I won't forget any of you. You were the best soldiers… No you were the best friends I ever had." They all hugged each other in a very manly way.

**10 minutes**

Rico enjoyed the time they spend together, just sitting and waiting for time to rip their team apart. Everything was already said and done. 10 minutes was too short to complete the things they were dreaming off.

He felt that he was about to lose his mind, but he had to keep it together. For Skipper. He kept repeating it in his head. For Skipper. For Skipper. For Skipper.

**5 minutes**

It was about time, Skipper saw three penguins standing several feet away from them. They were armed, as if they expected him to disobey their orders, as if they thought that he would fight them. But why would he fight? His friends looked at him, the tension was written all over their faces. He nodded, unable to say something. This was goodbye, maybe for forever, maybe for just a while.

**3 minutes**

The penguins were waddling towards them. Skipper stood up and turned towards his friends. "Nobody is ever going to take our memories about each other away. Nobody will ever break our bond. I will never forget you. NEVER!" He showed them his back, wanting to hide his tears.

**1 minute**

The penguins escorted him away from his friends. He tried to look back, but they prevented him from doing so. Private tried to stop them, but they just pushed him aside. Kowalski looked at everything which was unfolding before his own eyes. There were no options for a situation like this. Rico looked at the group of penguins waddling away from them, with his best friend. He couldn't help it, he just lost his mind. He flung himself towards them.

**30 seconds**

Skipper was thrown aside by Rico. He stood up and looked at the four fighting penguins. "Rico, NO!" He yelled, he had to stop him. The head quarters wouldn't tolerate this. But how hard he tried, Rico wouldn't listen to reason. Skipper covered his eyes. Normally, he would have enjoyed the violence. Now, he knew that it would get Rico in trouble beyond anything he could possibly imagine.

**1 second**

Skipper felt someone pull his wing and he had to waddle away from the fight, from his friends. He obeyed immediately, there was no use to delay it. And from deep inside, he was glad that he didn't have to witness what would happen to his friend, because he exactly knew what would happen to him.

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_Thank you for reading this story so far :)_


	5. Chapter 5: I Waddle Alone

_Here's chapter 5._**  
**

_I hope that you like it! :)  
_

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**Chapter 5: I Waddle Alone**

Skipper felt someone pull his wing and he had to waddle away from the fight, from his friends. He obeyed immediately, there was no use to delay it. And from deep inside, he was glad that he didn't have to witness what would happen to his friend, because he exactly knew what would happen to him.

"Rico, NO!" Kowalski yelled when the crazy penguin flung himself upon the penguins, who were taking their friend away. Private stood beside him, watching the fight too. This wasn't right, this was getting out of hand. He saw other penguins arrive, ripping the fight apart. Getting Rico away from them.

He saw Skipper getting escorted away by one penguin. He was forced to move on, he didn't look back. As if he already didn't care about them anymore. Kowalski looked at the penguins in front of him, it was like watching them from behind glass. Everything sounded muffled, and although everything moved so fast, it seemed like it moved in slow-motion. He couldn't do anything else than watching the scene unfolding before his eyes.

Rico tried to free himself, but there were just too many penguins. He lost his mind, fighting with everything he could throw up, with everything in the reach of his flippers. He didn't feel anything anymore, as if a thick cloud had made its way into his head. He lost the control of his body while punching everything and everybody around him.

Private didn't know what to do. He just stood there. He watched how everything got of hand. He didn't think again about his leader who was waddling away from them. He couldn't take his eyes off the fight in front of him.

Rico felt a hard knock on his head and he fell down to the ground, fighting against the darkness which was overwhelming his mind. He lost the battle for consciousness.

After they linked his flippers together, they dragged Rico away. It went too fast for Kowalski to understand. Not so long ago, they had lived happy in their HQ. Now they had already lost half of the team. What could they do now? Nobody cared about them, they were left alone.

The HQ seemed empty without Skipper and Rico. Private looked around the cold and dark room which once filled with their team. Filled with happy laughter, filled with music. What were they supposed to do now? Kowalski sat beside him at the table, deep in his thoughts.

He couldn't bear to live here without Skipper or Rico. He couldn't be happy without them, not in this place. Kowalski wondered what had happened to Rico. Where was he now?

Private couldn't hold back his tears. He felt so miserable, lonely. Kowalski stroked his back, trying to comfort the little penguin. It was hard for him to see Private so sad. But how hard he tried to comfort the little penguin, how louder the sobs became.

"We have to move on." After Kowalski had said this, Private raised his head a little. "Move on?" His heart broke by the look on Private's face. "But, how can we move on?" Kowalski looked at his broken friend. "I don't know Private. I only know that I don't want to stay here."

He wasn't sure why he wanted to leave the zoo, he wasn't even sure why he wanted to move out in the first place. He only knew that staying here would drive him mad. He looked around the HQ. Everywhere were the traces and memories of Skipper and Rico. Skipper's violin, Rico's doll. Skipper's favorite coffee-mug, Rico's favorite grenade. He wondered if he would ever see them again, he wondered if they would ever even talk to each other again. He worried about Rico, it was obvious that the penguins of the head quarters thought that he was crazy. Kowalski shivered. Head quarters wasn't using the most gentle methods to 'cure' someone from being crazy. Some call it torture. Others could only say 'horrific' when someone mentioned it.

"I don't want to leave." Private looked at him with his large baby blue eyes. Kowalski petted him on the back. "I understand why Private, but they won't return." He stood up and waddled towards his bunk. He would move out tomorrow. "I am going to sleep. Good night."

Private nodded, he was unable to say even a word. Kowalski had just made it real. Private took his violin from the table. Maybe some playing would cheer him up. The fiddlestick touched the strings softly. But with the minute, he pushed his fiddlestick harder on the strings. His tears dried, he began to forget everything around him. The music took control over him.

Kowalski lay wide awake in his bunk. Normally he would have yelled angrily at the young bird to 'keep it down'. But this time, Kowalski knew that it was necessarily to let the penguin finish his play. And somehow, the music was relaxing. He slowly closed his eyes. The music was almost like a lullaby. He could hear the lyrics in his head. He didn't know where he had heard it before or even when Private should have heard it. Skipper was right, Private was a natural. He now felt how tired he was. He fell asleep.

_I walk this empty street  
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams  
When the city sleeps  
And I'm the only one and I walk  
_

_I walk alone  
_

_I walk alone  
_

_My shadow's the only one that walks beside me  
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating  
Sometimes I wish someone up there will find me  
'til then I walk alone_

_I walk alone  
I walk alone  
I walk alone_

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_The song mentioned above is 'Boulevard Of Broken Dreams, by Green Day'.  
_

_I hope you liked this chapter :)  
_


	6. Chapter 6: Leaving

_I know, it has been ages since I last updated this story._

_But now, it's from hiatus again. :)_

_I hope you enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

**Chapter 6: Leaving**

"We have to move on." After Kowalski had said this, Private raised his head a little. "Move on?" His heart broke by the look on Private's face. "But, how can we move on?" Kowalski looked at his broken friend. "I don't know Private. I only know that I don't want to stay here."

Kowalski woke up early that morning. The first thing he saw was the young Private laying on the ground, the violin clenched in his flippers. Kowalski slowly climbed out of his bunk and waddled to his young friend. He softly poked Private, to wake him up. "Private, wake up." He said. The young penguin rolled over, but before he could harm his violin, Kowalski took it and lay it on the table. Kowalski poked him once more, a little harder now. "Private. Wake up." He said sternly, in a commando-like voice. The eyes of the young penguin opened.

It can't be true. That was Private's first thought. It was as if Skipper tried to wake him, poking him and calling his name. As if nothing had happened. Maybe nothing had happened, maybe he had just imagined, dreamed those horrible events. He didn't want to open his eyes. What if it wasn't Skipper calling to him? What if he woke up in an empty HQ, no traces of his friends except for their beloved belongings? He opened his eyes. He was right. It wasn't true.

Kowalski stood up and waddled through the HQ. He was looking for things he should bring to wherever he was going. It was weird. He had asked the question himself before, as philosopher and men alike. 'Why are we here?' He now knew the answer. He was here for his friends. Now that they were gone, he didn't even want to be here, or at least, not in this HQ.

The little penguin sat down at the table. He watched the scientist gather all sorts of stuff from around the HQ and he had asked him several times what he was doing. Private didn't get an answer, it was as if he was gone, just like Skipper and Rico. With the feeling of a stone dropping in his stomach, he waddled towards his bunk. There he picked up his little lunacorn doll and waddled with it back to the table. He then opened the fish plague and got out a small trunk and his butterscotch lolly. He did the lolly, the toy and his violin with fiddlestick in the trunk. He now knew where he was going, since he couldn't stay here. He knew exactly what Kowalski meant. All the traces of his friends, saying to him that they would return soon, but his mind told him that they wouldn't. And if they would… Then it wouldn't be anytime near 'soon'.

Kowalski heard the little penguin gathering his things. He became aware of his surroundings once more. He wasn't the only one left. The little penguin was here still too. He waddled towards him. "Private… Are you leaving too?" Private jumped and then turned around to face him. "Yes. Yes, I am." His eyes didn't hold any of the young, happiness Kowalski was used to see in them. His eyes seemed empty and darker than he remembered. "What is the point in staying Kowalski?" Private asked him, sounding defeated. "After all we've been through… Skipper said we would stay together. He… He promised us." Kowalski turned away from Private, he couldn't handle seeing his young companion broken, defeated. "He did, Private. But some promises have to be broken."

They both had gathered their things at the same time. On topside, in the bright shining sun, they said their goodbyes. Without looking back, just like their leader, they both followed their own, new way. Both without knowing where the road would bring them eventually. Both without knowing if their paths would cross each other again.

Still, Private wondered what Hans exactly had blown to pieces. They had found their HQ completely intact, to surprise of them both and there seemed to be no leaking info. Maybe there was a bigger plan behind this? But how harder Private thought of that, how fewer answers his mind provided him.

White, everything was white around him. And nothing exploded, or seemed to explode anytime soon. Rico took his surroundings in carefully. He knew that he had no weapons left in his body, he assumed that they were taken by the penguins who escorted him here. Rico felt lost. His friends, gone. He was alone. And why? Rico couldn't lay a flipper on it. His girlfriend wasn't here either. Two penguins entered the room he was in. They waddled towards him and escorted him out of the room. He was taken to another room, several unknown devices hang at the wall. No kabooms.

Kowalski waddled as far as his little feet could drag him and then sat down on the pavement, leaning against an office building. He didn't have a clue were to go. Suddenly, a large penguin, but not as large as Kowalski, came around the corner of the building. "Lieutenant Kowalski?" He asked him. Kowalski nodded. "Yes. That's me."

The strange penguin stood in front of him and handed him a letter. He gave him a smile and then waddled further, as if he was just a penguin taking a stroll to the next ice-cave. Kowalski looked at the letter, and then once again at the penguin. Who seemed to have disappeared.

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_Thank you for reading, I hope that you are liking the story so far :)_


	7. Chapter 7: New Beginnings

_Please have fun :)_

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**Chapter 7: New Beginnings**

Skipper looked around the aquarium. Nothing but glass surrounded him. Loneliness spreaded over his mind. Some penguins stood on the little island that was surrounded by water. Skipper saw that he was in an indoor aquarium, the temperature regulated to something he called 'freezing cold'. Some visitors stood behind the glass. Skipper was aware of the fact that everything he did, outside and in the water, was observed by the humans. Some of the penguins in the aquarium were even interacting with the people.

Skipper waddled towards the flock of penguins. He could count 7 penguins, mostly males, but he already noticed that there were also some females and even some little hatchlings. With a faked smile on his face, he waddled towards the biggest male he saw. "Hello…" He said. The male just looked at him, nothing more. After a view seconds, a smile made his way upon his face. The penguin stepped aside and a smaller female penguin made her way towards him.

The door Private in front of him was heavy, oak, English looking. He knocked three times and the door almost immediately opened. A large, penguin had opened it and now stood in the door opening smiling at Private. "I knew you would come." He said, with a British accent. "Uncle Nigel!" Private immediately hugged his uncle, letting his trunk fall to the ground. Uncle Nigel smiled. "Yeah, yeah, I am happy to see you again, too." Private let go off him and picked up his trunk again. He stepped over the threshold into uncle Nigel's house, or what he assumed was uncle Nigel's house.

The house had a long hallway, carpeted with a dark blue carpet. Several paintings hang on the wall, mostly containing older, smiling penguins. Private waddled after his uncle further into the house. "It's almost tea-time, Private." His uncle said. Private nodded. "That sounds splendid, uncle Nigel." He said in his British accent.

Maybe he was wrong about there being no kabooms. Rico looked around the new room he had just been brought into and saw penguins waddling around with some unknown objects. Somehow, Rico felt fear by looking at the objects. Maybe it was for the best to hold himself as still as possible.

But the penguins came to him. Now he could see what they were holding. Syringes, long needles. Rico didn't fear needles, nor doctors, but this seemed somewhat intimidating. He looked around, but saw no possible way to escape. He just closed his eyes and waited for them to inject with whatever the syringes were holding. It didn't take long for him to feel drowsy and somehow he fell asleep.

Kowalski took the envelope and opened it with great caution. Maybe it was only Skipper's paranoia taking over him, but he didn't trust it. What if it was holding picric acid? He could almost slap himself, immediately after he thought that. Picric acid wasn't a thing that would be hidden in a letter. He opened it and took the letter out.

Dumbstruck, he looked he at the contents. They wanted to hire him for a job at a laboratory. Working with chemicals and of course, he could get enough time to work on his own inventions. He smiled after reading the letter. How could they know that he was in need of a job? Not that he really cared about that, but still it was a bit awkward. He stood up and waddled towards the direction the letter was leading him.

It seemed like he had walked right into one of his dreams. From the moment he had set one of his feet in the building, he had gotten the feeling that he was home. Everywhere he looked were penguins running around holding science equipment. Large monitors at the sides of the walls monitored the progression of various experiments. He even saw some penguins he knew from different science fairs and meetings. Kowalski waddled towards the information desk with a large smile on his beak. He didn't think again about how he had to leave his former home and friends behind, he could only think about this wonderful place.

Skipper smiled at the female penguin who came towards him. She was a little larger than he was, but seemed less strong. Her face seemed happy and young, although Skipper could see that she was older than he was. She extended her flipper, seemingly happy and friendly. "Hallo, I am Anneke." Her voice sounded sweet, though there was a slight harsh undertone, maybe coming from her accent. He looked suspiciously at the penguin. He didn't trust her, although she seemed nice. He grumpy said his name. "I'm Skipper." Anneke didn't seem to mind or notice his attitude. "And you don't understand a word of the Dutch language?" She asked.

Skipper nodded, while still checking his surroundings for places to exit. He made sure to check every little spot, but again, he failed. Anneke gave him a small smile. "Looking for an exit, right?" Skipper nodded again. "You aren't going to find one, lieverd." She said with a sad smile. Skipper looked at her, seeing that she wasn't lying.

Somehow, Anneke seemed to follow him everywhere. She was constantly behind his tail, watching every move he made, ever step he took, every word he said. It was getting on his nerves. He didn't mind being followed by his team, but now, he'd rather stayed alone. Not having to talk with anybody, just to think about possible ways to get out of this aquarium. He sat down on a nearby rock and watched the flock of penguins moving through the habitat. They behaved just like normal penguins, although he couldn't make sense of anything they said. Sometimes he could hear an English word in their sentences. He held his head in his flippers and thought about his friends. He missed them. He also missed his violin. It would do him good if he could play a little.

Private sat down in the living room and waited for his uncle to return with the tea. He wondered where he was supposed to go from here, he surely couldn't stay with his uncle forever. Uncle Nigel entered the room after a couple of minutes with the tea. He also brought some cookies. With a smile, Private picked up a cookie.

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_Thank you for reading this far :)_


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